Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download WordPress Using SSH

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that powers almost 30% of websites on the internet. It is an open-source software that can be downloaded for free and customized to fit your needs. The most common way to install WordPress is through a web browser, but there is another method that is faster and more secure - downloading it using SSH.

SSH (secure shell) is a protocol used for secure remote access to a server. It allows you to log in to a server and execute commands securely. You can use it to transfer files, manage databases, and install software without leaving your terminal. Here are the steps to download WordPress using SSH.

Step 1: Connect to Your Server

To use SSH, you need to connect to your server using an SSH client such as PuTTY for Windows or Terminal for Mac. Open your SSH client and connect to your server using your username and password or SSH key. Once you are connected, navigate to the directory where you want to install WordPress using the cd command. For example:

cd /var/www/html

Step 2: Download WordPress

Once you are in the desired directory, you can download the latest version of WordPress using the wget command. This command downloads files from the internet and saves them on your server. You need to provide the download link to the WordPress archive file. You can get the link from the WordPress website. For example:

wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

This command downloads the latest version of WordPress in a compressed archive file (.tar.gz). You can use the ls command to check if the file has been downloaded.

Step 3: Extract the Archive

After downloading the archive, you need to extract its contents using the tar command. This command extracts files from the archive and creates a directory with the same name as the archive file. For example:

tar -xvzf latest.tar.gz

This command extracts the contents of the latest.tar.gz archive and creates a directory called wordpress in the current directory. You can use the ls command to verify the contents of the directory.

Step 4: Install WordPress

Once you have extracted the archive, you can install WordPress by copying its files to your web server directory. You can use the mv command to move the files from the wordpress directory to your web server directory. For example:

sudo mv wordpress/* /var/www/html/

This command moves all the files and directories in the wordpress directory to the /var/www/html/ directory, which is the default web server directory on Ubuntu Linux. You may need to replace the destination directory with your own web server directory.

Step 5: Configure WordPress

After installing WordPress, you need to configure it by creating a configuration file (wp-config.php) and defining the database settings. You can use the nano command or any other text editor to create and edit the file. For example:

sudo nano /var/www/html/wp-config.php

This command creates a new file called wp-config.php in the /var/www/html/ directory and opens it in the nano editor. You need to define the database settings as follows:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name'); define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user'); define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password'); define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Replace your_database_name, your_database_user, and your_database_password with your own database credentials. Save the file and exit the editor.

Step 6: Access Your WordPress Site

Finally, you can access your WordPress site by entering its URL in a web browser. If you have installed WordPress in the web server root directory, the URL should be http://your_server_ip_address/ or http://your_domain_name/. You will see the WordPress setup wizard, where you can configure your site title, username, and password. Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and installed WordPress using SSH.

In conclusion, downloading WordPress using SSH is a powerful method that saves time and improves security. With these simple steps, you can download, extract, and install WordPress on your server without leaving your terminal. Try it out and see how it works for you.